Man demanded road users ‘produce British passports’ three days after Brexit vote

Court news.

Published:09:53Wednesday 20 July 2016

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Three days after the Brexit vote, a Skegness man put a barrier across a road in the town, labelled it an ‘EU border crossing’ and demanded road users produce British passports.

Magistrates at Skegness heard that the man, 22 year old Mathew Lewis White of The Meadows, then assaulted a driver who tried to move the barrier so that he could get home from work early in the morning.

White pleaded guilty to assaulting the driver, Adrian Carrington-Hunt, who was driving home at 6.55am on June 26, the Sunday after the vote which paved the way for Britain to leave the European Union.

Dan Pietryka, prosecuting, said Mr Carrington-Hunt came across the barrier, made up of wheelie bins, bits of fencing, a push chair and children’s play equipment, in Sea View Road.

White, who was said to be ‘well in drink’, was there with another man with a sign which read: ‘The road is closed. EU border control’.

He said White demanded to see Mr Carrington-Hunt’s passport, which he wasn’t carrying, but he told White he was British, but White wouldn’t let him through, said Mr Pietryka.

When Mr Carrington-Hunt got out of his car to clear a way through, White pushed him and then hit him with his head and said: “Now what are you going to do?”

Police were informed and White was arrested, telling police he was drunk and couldn’t remember assaulting Mr Carrington-Hunt, who was left with grazing on the side of his chin.

In mitigation, Mark Hudson said White had been out drinking on Saturday night and was still drunk on Sunday morning.

He said that although White had assaulted Mr Carrington-Hunt, he had not headbutted him but had put his head down and run at him and caught him on the chin.

White, who was said to have a heart condition, was on benefits and had not worked for a year, said Mr Hudson.

The magistrates imposed a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered White to pay £100 compensation to Mr Carrington-Hunt and £105 in costs and charges.